Wrench



(No Model.)

No. 492,401. ll

W. H. KALTENBECK.

WRENCH.

W/TNESSES. WM @z Patented Feb. 28, 1893.

A WORN/53% *NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM I-I. KALTENBECK, OF MIDDLESBOROUGH, KENTUCKY.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,401, dated February28, 1893. Application filed June 10, 1892. Serial No. 436,198- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. KALTEN- BECK, of Middlesborough, in thecounty of Bell and State of Kentucky, have invented a new andusefullmprovement in lVrenches, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description. I

My invention relates to an improvement in wrenches, and-has for itsobject to construct a wrench in an exceedingly simple yet durablemanner, and in its construction to provide but few pieces; and furtherto provide a means whereby through the medium of a lock nut or sleevethe lower jaw of the wrench may be made to slide up or down upon theshank or body bar, or be locked at any desired position upon said bodybar between the upper jaw and handle of the wrench.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures and letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the vlews.

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the wrench. Fig. 2 is afront elevation partly in section. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on theline 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the locking not orsleeve.

The body bar 10, is provided at its upper end with the usual fixed jaw11; and the lower end of the bar is fitted in a handle 12, and isusually made to extend through said handle, the handle and body barbeing united at their lower ends by means of a bolt and nut 13, or theequivalents thereof.

In what may be termed the rear edge of the body bar a groove 14, isproduced longitudinally thereof, the groove being U or V-shaped in crosssection, preferably the latter; and this groove extends from a pointabove the center of the body bar some distance down, terminating betweenthe center and its lower end, a portion of the groove extending downwardin the handle 12, the bore of the handle being enlarged at that pointwhere the groove in the body bar is located, as shown in Fig. 1. Thebody bar just above the handle, at what maybe termed its front edge isprovided with an extension or shoulder 15, as where the shoulder isformed the body bar is of greater width than at any point below it; butfrom the shoulder up to the fixed jaw the body bar is of the same crosssectional area. Beneath the shoulder the forward edge of the body bar ismade cylindrical, and an exterior thread 16, is produced upon thecylindrical surface. In front of the thread 16 a finger 17, is projecteddown from the outer face of the shoulder 15, as shown in both Figs. 1and 2. The lower jaw 18, has integral therewith a socket 19, the socketbeing adapted to travel upon the body bar between the handle of thewrench and its upper or fixed jaw.

Upon the inner face of the socket at its rear wall an arm 20, is formed,corresponding in cross sectional shape to the cross sectional contour ofthe slot 14 in the body bar, as the arm 20 is adapted to travel in saidslot, as shown in Fig. 1. The exterior surface of the arm 20, iscylindrical, and is provided with a thread 21, extending from top tobottom.

Upon the upper end of the handle 12 a locking nut or sleeve A, isswiveled, or is held to turn, the said locking nut or sleeve beingcapable of detachment or removal from the handle, and of readyattachment thereto. Usually, as shown in Fig. 4, this locking nut orsleeve is made in two diameters, an upper diameter 22 and a lowerdiameter 23, the latter being greater than the former; and at the lowerdiameter of the sleeve the inner contour is circular, while at the upperdiameter the inner contour is somewhat elliptical; and in the oppositeside walls of the smaller diameter of the nut or sleeve threads 24, areproduced, while in one side, at the bottom of the nut or sleeve a recess25, is made, likewise shown in Fig. 4. Upon the upper end of the handle,which is cylindrical and reduced, lugs 26, are formed, said lugs beingpreferably located diametrically opposite to each other. When the sleeveor nut A, is to be placed upon the handle the lug 26 is made to enterthe recess 25, and the sleeve is s'pru ng overthe second lug. The sleeveis prevented from leaving the handle when it is turned so as to carrythe lugs out of registry with the recess 25, by forming aninwardly-extending flange upon the bottom portion of the sleeve, asshown at 27, the recess 25 being in this flange. In the front upper andouter face of the sleeve a circular slide-way 28, is made as shown inFig. 3, and in this slide-way the finger 17 of the body bar extends. Themovement of the nut or sleeve in either direction is limited by thefinger coming in engagement with the end walls of the slide-way.

Thus, in operation, when it is desired to adjust the lower jaw to orfrom the upper one, the sleeve or nut A, is turned in a manner to bringthe under surfaces of its reduced diametrical portion 22 opposite thethreaded surfaces 21 and 16. At this time the lower jaw may be movedfreely upon the body bar. When a proper adjustment of the lower jaw hasbeen effected, by turning the sleeve or nut in a direction opposite thatin which it was first turned, the threads 2 in the nut or sleeve will bemade to engage with thethreaded surfaces 21 and 16 formed respectivelyupon the arm 20 and the shank of the body, and the lower jaw will atthat time be firmly locked in the desired position. The simplicity,durability and economy with which a wrench of the character abovedescribed may be constructed are apparent.

It will be understood that the jaws of the improved wrench may be shapedfor use either as a monkey wrench or as a pipe wrench.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In a wrench, the combination, with a bodybar provided with a groove in one side,a handle receiving the lower endof the body bar, a shoulder projected outward from the side oppositethat in which the groove is formed, the shoulder being provided with adownwardly-extending finger, and the body below the shoulder with anexterior thread, of a 40 socket shaped as a lower jaw and having freesliding movement upon the body, an arm attached to the socket and fittedto slide in the groove of the body .bar, the exterior surface of the armbeing cylindrical and threaded, and a locking nut or sleeve held to turnupon the handle, having a slide way for the reception of the bodyfinger, and having its interior approximately oval in shape, the sidesbeing threaded,as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In awrench, the combination, with abody bar having an essentiallyU-shaped groove produced longitudinally in one edge, the body beingpractically rectangular in cross section, the said body being providedwith an extension upon one side, forming a shoulder, and a fingerprojected downward from the shoulder, the body being further providedwith a threaded exterior cylindrical surface immediately below theshoulder, of a socket carrying a lower jaw, the socket having freemovement upon the body, an arm projected downward from the socket,essentially U-shaped in cross section and fitted to slide in the bodygroove, the outer surface of the arm being cylindrical or threaded, anut or sleeve having a removable and swivel connection with the upperend of the handle, and having its interior shaped more or less oblong,the side walls being threaded, and the sleeve or nut being furtherprovided with an exterior slide-way receiving the finger from the bodyshoulder, as and for the purpose specified.

WILTJIAM H. KALTENBEOK.

iVitn esses:

WM. Moses, T. H. CURD.

